Cyclone dust collecting device for a vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A cyclone dust collecting device of a vacuum cleaner, which is mounted on a telescopic extension pipe. The cyclone dust collecting device of a vacuum cleaner, includes a cyclone body for generating a swirling flow from air and contaminants drawn thereinto, and a cyclone housing engaged with the cyclone body and for separating the contaminant from the air by guiding the swirling flow. The cyclone housing includes a cyclone housing engaged with the cyclone body, for separating the contaminant by guiding the swirling air flow, a cyclone cover formed in a cylindrical shape and engaged with the cyclone body, one end of which being a slanted end closed by a spiral line, and the other end of which being an open end, and a dust collecting container engaged with a lower portion of the slanted end of the cyclone cover, one end of which substantially being a cylinder having one closed end, and the other end of which being slant to correspond to the slanted end of the cyclone cover. Accordingly, normal cleaning can be performed regardless of position of the vacuum cleaner, and, even when discarding collected contaminant, falling of the contaminants from a grill or the breakage of the grill can be prevented.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and moreparticularly to a cyclone dust collecting device, which is mounted on atelescopic extension pipe of a vacuum cleaner, to filter out and collectcontaminants of relatively large particles that are drawn into thevacuum cleaner.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Generally, a cyclone dust collecting device separates particlesfrom a fluid by using centrifugal force. Due to their simple structureand ability to withstand high-temperature and high-pressureenvironments, cyclone dust collecting devices have been widely used inthe industrial fields for a long time. Further, the cyclone dustcollecting device is employed in a vacuum cleaner, to first filter andthen collect contaminants of relatively larger particles, such as piecesof tissue, vinyl, hairs, and the like, from the air that is drawn inthrough a cleaner brush. The cyclone dust collecting device preventsthese larger contaminants from being filtered out by a paper filter,which is disposed inside a dust collecting chamber, thereby extendingthe life of the disposable paper filter.

[0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a vacuumcleaner equipped with a conventional cyclone dust collecting device.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner with the conventionalcyclone dust collecting device 10 includes a cleaner body 1, a brush 4for drawing in contaminants, a flexible hose 2 and a telescopicextension pipe 3 for connecting the brush 4 to the cleaner body 1, apaper filter 7 for filtering out the contaminants, and a fan motor 8 forgenerating a suction force. The cyclone dust collecting device 10 ismounted on a connection portion between the telescopic extension pipe 3and the flexible hose 2 to filter out larger particle contaminants.

[0007] The cyclone dust collecting device 10 for the vacuum cleanerdraws in air and contaminants through the brush 4 with a suction forcegenerated by the fan motor 8, obliquely into a cyclone housing 13.Various kinds of relatively larger particles of contaminants, such aspieces of tissue, vinyl, hairs, and the like are separated from the airby the centrifugal force, which is caused by a vortex of air. Theselarger particle contaminants are then collected in the cyclone housing13. When the clean air reaches the bottom of the cyclone housing 13, itreverses direction and turns into a rising air flow that is expelled tothe cleaner body 1 through the flexible hose 2.

[0008] During operation of the vacuum cleaner, the orientation of thecyclone dust collecting device 10 may change either intentionally orunintentionally. That is, the cyclone dust collecting device 10 can betilted or turned upside-down when cleaning higher locations, causing thecontaminants collected in the cyclone housing 13 of the cyclone dustcollecting device 10, such as tissue, vinyl, hairs, and the like, tofall toward a grill 12 of the cyclone dust collecting device 10. Whensuch reverse flow of contaminants occurs, the contaminants can block thegrill 12 of the cyclone dust collecting device 10, thereby decreasingthe cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner or disabling itsoperation. Therefore, blockage of the grill due to a reverse flow ofcontaminants should be prevented.

[0009] Further, since the cyclone housing 13 can be separated from thecyclone body 11 to enable a user to discard the contaminants that havecollected in the cyclone housing 13, the grill 12 of the cyclone body 11will be exposed. The ambient area may get dirty, because of thecontaminants that have fallen from the grill. Furthermore, the exposedgrill 12 can break if it is mishandled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention has been made to solve the problems statedabove.

[0011] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea cyclone dust collecting device for a vacuum cleaner that preventscontaminants from blocking the grill, regardless of the orientation ofthe cyclone dust collecting device. It is a further object of theinvention that the device does not hinder operation of the vacuumcleaner. Yet another object of the invention is to prevent contaminantsfrom falling off the grill of a cyclone body or preventing the grillfrom being damaged when the collected contaminants are discarded.

[0012] The above object is accomplished by a cyclone dust collectingdevice for a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention,including a cyclone body connected to a telescopic extension pipe of thevacuum cleaner. The cyclone body generates a swirling vortex from aninflow of air and contaminants that have been drawn in. The cyclone dustcollecting device further includes a cyclone housing detachably engagedwith the cyclone body. The cyclone housing has a spiral partitiondividing an interior of the cyclone housing into an upper space forseparating contaminants from the air by guiding the vortex of air, and alower space for receiving the contaminants that have been separated fromthe air.

[0013] The cyclone housing includes a cyclone cover having a cylindricalshape, an open upper end engaged with the cyclone body, and a lowerslanted end slanted by a spiral partition. The cyclone housing furtherincludes a dust collecting container detachably engaged with a lowerportion of the slanted end of the cyclone cover, for receivingcontaminants that have passed through the spiral partition.

[0014] An engagement portion extends from the lower slanted end of thecyclone cover. The engagement portion is press-fitted with the upperopen end of the dust collecting container.

[0015] The spiral partition includes a dome-shaped protrusion formed ona center thereof.

[0016] The spiral partition includes first and second ends which mayalign with each other in a vertical plane or overlap one another in avertical plane.

[0017] A supporting means is provided to elastically support the cyclonehousing with respect to the telescopic extension pipe and preventseparation of the cyclone housing from the cyclone body.

[0018] The supporting means includes a fixture member mounted to thetelescopic extension pipe, an insertion member movably disposed on thefixture member, and inserted in a recess formed on a lower end of thecyclone housing, and an elastic member for biasing the insertion memberinto engagement with the recess.

[0019] The cyclone housing includes a cyclone cover having a cylindricalshape, an open upper end engaged with the cyclone body, and a lowerslanted end which is slanted at a predetermined angle with respect tothe spiral partition. The cyclone housing further includes a dustcollecting container having an open end engaged with the lower portionby a screw. The dust collecting container receives contaminants thathave passed through the spiral partition.

[0020] The cyclone body further includes a grill defining an air suctionpath and an air exhaust path. The grill has a plurality of fine holesformed therein, through which air flows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above objects and other features and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent by the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment with reference to the attacheddrawings, in which:

[0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a vacuum cleaner havinga conventional cyclone dust collecting device;

[0023]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a cyclone dustcollecting device for a vacuum cleaner according to the presentinvention;

[0024]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cyclone dust collectingdevice of FIG. 2;

[0025]FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a cyclone cover for the cyclone dustcollecting device of FIG. 2;

[0026]FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are a perspective view and a bottom view ofthe cyclone cover, respectively, illustrating the case an overlap in aspiral surface of the cyclone cover of the cyclone dust collectingdevice; and

[0027]FIG. 6 is a view for showing an alternate, screw-coupledconnection between a dust collecting container and the cyclone cover ofthe cyclone dust collecting device of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0028] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention willbe described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein the like reference numerals refer to like elements.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a cyclone dust collecting device hasa cyclone body 20 and a cyclone housing 30. The cyclone housing 30includes a cyclone cover 31 and a dust collecting container 39. Here, asupport part 50 is provided on the telescopic extension pipe 3 of thevacuum cleaner to support the dust collecting container 39 such that thedust collecting container 39 does not detach from the cyclone cover 31during a cleaning process.

[0030] The cyclone body 20 is connected to the telescopic extension pipe3 of the vacuum cleaner and includes an inflow air passage 21 forobliquely guiding air and contaminants which are drawn in through thebrush 4 (FIG. 1), a grill 22 for filtering the air inside the cyclonecover 31, and an outflow air passage 23 for guiding the air that isdrawn in through the grill 22 to a cleaner body 1.

[0031] The cyclone cover 31 has a cylindrical shape and is connected toa lower portion of the cyclone body 20. The cylindrical shape of thecyclone cover 31 induces the air that is drawn in from the inflow airpassage 21 of the cyclone body 20 into a vortex. One end of the cyclonecover 31 has a plurality of engagement protrusions 36 formed therein forconnection with the cyclone body 20. The other end of the cyclone cover31 is slanted and closed by a spiral surface 32. The spiral surface 32may be formed in various curves such as a spiral curve, a helical curve,and so on. The slanted end of the cyclone cover 31 is formed bycross-sectioning the cylindrical cyclone cover 31 on the same slant asthat of the applied spiral surface 32. Since the spiral surface 32begins at a point that coincides with the slanted end and extends towardthe open end of the cyclone cover 31, a through-hole 33 is definedbetween the starting point 32 a and ending point 32 b of the spiralsurface 32 to guide contaminants into the dust collecting container 39.The spiral surface 32, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, may be formed with thestarting point 32 a coincident with the ending point 32 b or, as shownin FIGS. 5A and 5B, the spiral surface 32 may be formed with the endingpoint 32 b further extended over the starting point 32 a, such that aportion of the spiral surface 32 overlaps itself. Accordingly, the sizeof the through-hole 33 is determined by the angle of the spiral surface32 and the diameter of the cyclone cover 31. Further, a cylindrical pole34 having one-third or one-fourth of the diameter of the cyclone cover31 is provided at the center of the spiral surface 32. It is preferablethat the end of the cylindrical pole 34 that faces the open end of thecyclone cover 31 has a dome shape, so that air and contaminantsentrained in the air can be guided outside the cyclone cover 31.

[0032] Further, an engagement part 35 having a stepped shape is formedaround a lower end of the slanted end of the cyclone cover 31. Theengagement part 35 secures the cyclone cover 31 to the dust collectingcontainer 39.

[0033] The dust collecting container 39 is coupled to the engagementpart 35 of the cyclone cover 31. The dust collecting container 39 has asubstantially cylindrical shape and a closed lower end. The open end ofthe dust collecting container 39 is slanted to correspond with theslanted end of the cyclone cover 31, so that the cyclone cover 31 andthe dust collecting container 39 are flush and form a straight line whenengaged with each other. Further, a recess 39 a is formed in the lowerportion of the closed end of the dust collecting container 39 to receivethe support part 50 for supporting the dust collecting container 39.

[0034] Preferably, to reduce the swirling vortex of air from the cyclonecover 31 and also to facilitate a user in mounting the dust collectingcontainer 39 onto the telescopic extension pipe 3, the closed end of thedust collecting container 39 is slightly tapered to have a smaller areathan that of the open end, which corresponds to the slanted end of thecyclone cover 31.

[0035] The recess 39 a formed on the lower portion of the closed end ofthe dust collecting container 39 has a shape and a size that correspondto an insertion part 55 of the support part 50. The recess 39 a receivesthe insertion part 55 of the support part 50 to secure the dustcollecting container 39 to the telescopic extension pipe 3.

[0036] The support part 50 further includes a fixture member 51 that ismounted to the telescopic extension pipe 3. A circular clamp of a sizecorresponding to the outer diameter of the telescopic extension pipe 3is provided at one end of the fixture member 51 to engage the telescopicextension pipe 3. The insertion part 55 is mounted to the other end ofthe fixture member 51.

[0037] The insertion part 55 includes a pin 55 a, which is inserted inthe recess 39 a of the dust collecting container 39, and a compressioncoil spring 55 b for biasing the pin 55 a outward. The pin 55 a and thecompression coil spring 55 b have proper lengths to smoothly separatethe dust collecting container 39 from the engagement part 35 of thecyclone cover 31, when a user holds and presses down the dust collectingcontainer 39, and to prevent separation of the dust collecting container39 from the cyclone cover 31 during a normal cleaning process.

[0038] Another example of a manner for engaging the dust collectingcontainer 39 with the cyclone cover 31 is shown in FIG. 6. Referring toFIG. 6, an engagement part 35′ of a cyclone cover 31′ is not formedalong the periphery of the slanted end, but formed along the innerperiphery of the lower end of the cyclone cover 31′. The engagement part35′ of the cyclone cover 31′ is formed with a female screw 35 a′, andthe outer periphery of the open end of the dust collecting container 39′is formed with a male screw 39 b′ for engagement with the female screw35 a′. Accordingly, the dust collecting container 39′ is connected tothe cyclone cover 31′ as the engagement part 35′ of the cyclone cover31′ is screwed with the dust collecting container 39′. According to thisengaging manner, the support part 50 can be omitted.

[0039] Hereinafter, the operation of the cyclone-collecting device ofthe present invention will be described in detail.

[0040] Air and contaminants are drawn into the vacuum cleaner throughthe brush 4 and flow into the cyclone dust collecting device through theinflow air passage 21 of the cyclone body 20. As the air andcontaminants enter the cyclone cover 31 they form a swirling vortex ofair and contaminants. Larger particle contaminants contained in the airare separated from the air by the centrifugal force and then drop to thebottom of the cyclone cover 31. Most of the air that is free ofcontaminants collides with the spiral surface 32 of the cyclone cover 31and reverses direction forming a rising air stream. The rising airstream is expelled to the cleaner body 1 through the grill 22 and theoutflow air passage 23. Accordingly, the device is mounted to match therotation direction of the swirling air flow with the spiral rotationdirection.

[0041] After the contaminants have been separated from the air by thecentrifugal force, the air is dropped but keeps moving along the spiralsurface 32 of the cyclone cover 31 in a swirling air flow to beexhausted into the dust collecting container 39 through the through-hole33. Since the contaminants are blocked by the spiral surface 32 of theslanted cyclone cover 31, the contaminants in the dust collectingcontainer 39 are not discharged through the cyclone cover 31, but arerotated in the swirling air flow within the dust collecting container39.

[0042] The cyclone cover 31 induces the air into a swirling vortex incooperation with the cyclone body 30, and separates contaminants fromthe air using centrifugal force. The through-hole 33 formed by thespiral surface 32 guides the separated contaminants into the dustcollecting container 39. The dust collecting container 39 serves as areceptacle where the separated contaminants are collected. That is,since a separation part for separating contaminants from the air isseparated from a dust collecting part for collecting the contaminantsseparated from the sucked air, the contaminants separated by thecentrifugal force do not flow in a reverse direction toward the grill 22of the cyclone body 20 and, therefore, cannot block the grill 22.

[0043] Next, a method for emptying the dust collecting container 39,which is filled with the contaminants, will be described. A user holdsthe dust collecting container 39 and presses down on the lower portionof the dust collecting container 39, which is removably mounted on thesupport part 50, to compress the compression coil spring 55 b. This alsodisengages the engagement part 35 of the dust collecting container 39from the cyclone cover 31. The user can then remove the dust collectingcontainer 39 from the support part 50. After emptying the dustcollecting container 39, the user inserts the insertion pin 55 a of thesupport part 50 into the recess 39 a provided in the lower portion ofthe dust collecting container 39. Then the user presses down on the dustcollecting container 39 to compress the coil spring 55 b and fit theupper portion of the dust collecting container 39 into alignment withthe engagement part 35 of the cyclone cover 3 l. When the user releasesthe dust collecting container 39, the coil spring 55 b will expand,urging the dust collecting container 39 into engagement with theengagement part 35 of the cyclone cover 31. Thus, the dust collectingcontainer 39 is supported at one end by the engagement part 35 and atthe other end by the support part 50.

[0044] Further, in case of a screw-engagement structure, such as thatillustrated in FIG. 6, rotation of the dust collecting container 39′counterclockwise separates the dust collecting container 39′ from theengagement part 35′ of the cyclone cover 31′. Meanwhile, the dustcollecting container 39′ is re-engaged with the cyclone cover 31′ byrotating the dust collecting container 39′ clockwise.

[0045] As explained above, the cyclone dust collecting device for avacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention, improves thecleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner, even when the orientation ofthe cyclone dust collecting device changes during operation.Furthermore, the device provides a safer way of emptying the contents ofthe dust collecting container, by preventing the dispersal ofcontaminants from grill and protecting the grill.

[0046] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention hasbeen described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatthe present invention should not be limited to the described preferredembodiment. Various changes and modifications can be made within thespirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cyclone dust collecting device for a vacuumcleaner, comprising: a cyclone body for connection to a telescopicextension pipe of the vacuum cleaner, the cyclone body generating aswirling vortex from an inflow of air and contaminants; and a cyclonehousing detachably engaged with the cyclone body, the cyclone housinghaving a spiral partition dividing an interior of the cyclone housinginto an upper space for separating the contaminants from the air byguiding the swirling vortex of air and a lower space for receiving thecontaminants that have been separated from the air.
 2. The cyclone dustcollecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cyclone housingcomprises: a cyclone cover having a cylindrical shape, an open upperend, and a lower slanted end, the open upper end being engaged with thecyclone body, the lower slanted end being slanted by the spiralpartition; and a dust collecting container detachably engaged with alower portion of the slanted end of the cyclone cover, the dustcollecting container receiving the contaminants that have passed throughthe spiral partition.
 3. The cyclone dust collecting device as claimedin claim 2, further comprising an engagement portion extending from thelower slanted end of the cyclone cover, the engagement portion engagingan open upper end of the dust collecting container to secure the dustcollecting container thereto.
 4. The cyclone dust collecting device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the spiral partition includes a dome-shapedprotrusion formed on a center thereof.
 5. The cyclone dust collectingdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spiral partition has a firstedge and a second edge, the first and second edges aligning in avertical plane.
 6. The cyclone dust collecting device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the spiral partition has a first end and a second end,the first and second ends overlapping each other in a vertical plane. 7.The cyclone dust collecting device as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising supporting means for supporting the cyclone housing withrespect to the telescopic extension pipe and preventing separation ofthe cyclone housing from the cyclone body.
 8. The cyclone dustcollecting device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting meanscomprises: a fixture member mounted on the telescopic extension pipe; aninsertion member movably disposed on the fixture member, the insertionmember being received in a recess formed in a lower end of the cyclonehousing, when the cyclone housing is coupled to the cyclone body; and anelastic member for biasing the insertion member into engagement with therecess.
 9. The cyclone dust collecting device as claimed in claim 2,further comprising supporting means for elastically supporting thecyclone housing with respect to the telescopic extension pipe andpreventing separation of the cyclone housing from the cyclone body. 10.The cyclone dust collecting device as claimed in claim 9, wherein thesupporting means comprises: a fixture member mounted to the telescopicextension pipe; an insertion member movably disposed on the fixturemember, the insertion member being received in a recess formed in alower end of the cyclone housing, when the cyclone housing is coupled tothe cyclone body; and an elastic member for biasing the insertion memberinto engagement with the recess.
 11. The cyclone dust collecting deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein the cyclone housing comprises: a cyclonecover having a cylindrical shape, an open upper end, and a lower slantedend, the open upper end being engaged with the cyclone body, the lowerslanted end being slanted at a predetermined angle with respect to thespiral partition; and a dust collecting container having an open endengaged with the lower portion by a screw, the dust collecting containerreceiving the contaminants that have passed through the spiralpartition.
 12. The cyclone dust collecting device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the cyclone body includes a grill, the grill defining an airsuction path and an air exhaust path, and having a plurality of fineholes formed therein through which air flows.
 13. A vacuum cleanercomprising: a cleaner body; a telescopic extension pipe coupled to thecleaner body via a flexible hose; a cyclone dust collecting devicemounted to the telescopic extension pipe, the cyclone dust collectingdevice including: a cyclone body mounted on the telescopic extensionpipe, the cyclone body generating a swirling vortex from an inflow ofair and contaminants; and a cyclone housing detachably engaged with thecyclone body, the cyclone housing having a spiral partition dividing aninterior of the cyclone housing into an upper space for separating thecontaminants from the air and a lower space for receiving thecontaminants that have been separated from the air.
 14. The vacuumcleaner as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cyclone housing includes: acyclone cover having a cylindrical shape, an open upper end, and a lowerslanted end, the open upper end being engaged with the cyclone body, thelower slanted end being slanted by the spiral partition; and a dustcollecting container detachably engaged with a lower portion of theslanted end of the cyclone cover, the dust collecting containerreceiving the contaminants that have passed through the spiralpartition.
 15. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 14, furthercomprising an engagement portion extending from the lower slanted end ofthe cyclone cover, the engagement portion engaging an open upper end ofthe dust collecting container to secure the dust collecting containerthereto.
 16. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 13, wherein thespiral partition includes a dome-shaped protrusion formed on a centerportion thereof.
 17. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 13, whereinthe spiral partition has a first edge and a second edge, the first andsecond edges aligning in a vertical plane.
 18. The vacuum cleaner asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the spiral partition has a first end and asecond end, the first and second ends overlapping each other in avertical plane.
 19. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 13, furthercomprising supporting means for supporting the cyclone housing withrespect to the telescopic extension pipe and preventing separation ofthe cyclone housing from the cyclone body.